Some time after this, when Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, made
an incursion into Judea, Gabinius came from Rome into Syria, as commander
of the Roman forces. He did many considerable actions; and particularly
made war with Alexander, since Hyrcanus was not yet able to oppose his
power, but was already attempting to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, which
Pompey had overthrown, although the Romans which were there restrained
him from that his design. However, Alexander went over all the country
round about, and armed many of the Jews, and suddenly got together ten
thousand armed footmen, and fifteen hundred horsemen, and fortified Alexandrium,
a fortress near to Corem, and Macherus, near the mountains of Arabia. Gabinius
therefore came upon him, having sent Marcus Antonius, with other commanders,
before. These armed such Romans as followed them; and, together with them,
such Jews as were subject to them, whose leaders were Pitholaus and Malichus;
and they took with them also their friends that were with Antipater, and
met Alexander, while Gabinius himself followed with his legion. Hereupon
Alexander retired to the neighborhood of Jerusalem, where they fell upon
one another, and it came to a pitched battle, in which the Romans slew
of their enemies about three thousand, and took a like number alive.